Augmented cognitive training

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides methods of therapy of cognitive deficits associated with a central nervous system disorder or condition, methods of enhancing cognitive performance and methods for repeated stimulation of neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity, such as that underlying a specific neuronal circuit(s). The methods comprise combining cognitive training protocols and a general administration of CREB pathway-enhancing agents.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/224,227, filed on Aug. 10, 2000. The entire teachings of thisapplication are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An estimated 4 to 5 million Americans (about 2% of all ages and 15% ofthose older than age 65) have some form and degree of cognitive failure.Cognitive failure (dysfunction or loss of cognitive functions, theprocess by which knowledge is acquired, retained and used) commonlyoccurs in association with central nervous system (CNS) disorders orconditions, including age-associated memory impairment, delirium(sometimes called acute confusional state), dementia (sometimesclassified as Alzheimer's or non-Alzheimer's type), Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease (chorea), cerebrovasculardisease (e.g., stroke, ischemia), affective disorders (e.g.,depression), psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, autism (Kanner'sSyndrome)), neurotic disorders (e.g., anxiety, obsessive-compulsivedisorder), attention deficit disorder (ADD), subdural hematoma,normal-pressure hydrocephalus, brain tumor, head or brain trauma.

Cognitive dysfunction is typically manifested by one or more cognitivedeficits, which include memory impairment (impaired ability to learn newinformation or to recall previously learned information), aphasia(language/speech disturbance), apraxia (impaired ability to carry outmotor activities despite intact motor function), agnosia (failure torecognize or identify objects despite intact sensory function),disturbance in executive functioning (i.e., planning, organizing,sequencing, abstracting).

Cognitive dysfunction causes significant impairment of social and/oroccupational functioning, which can interfere with the ability of anindividual to perform activities of daily living and greatly impact theautonomy and quality of life of the individual.

Cognitive training protocols are generally employed in rehabilitatingindividuals who have some form and degree of cognitive dysfunction. Forexample, cognitive training protocols are commonly employed in strokerehabilitation and in age-related memory loss rehabilitation. Becausemultiple training sessions are often required before an improvement orenhancement of a specific aspect of cognitive performance (ability orfunction) is obtained in the individuals, cognitive training protocolsare often very costly and time-consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a novel methodology, also referred toherein as augmented cognitive training (ACT), which can either (1)rehabilitate various forms of cognitive dysfunction more efficientlythan any current method or (2) enhance normal cognitive performance(ability or function). ACT can be applied for any aspect of brainfunction that shows a lasting performance gain after cognitive training.Accordingly, ACT can be used in rehabilitating an animal with some formand degree of cognitive dysfunction or in enhancing (improving) normalcognitive performance in an animal. ACT can also be used to exerciseappropriate neuronal circuits to fine-tune the synaptic connections ofnewly acquired, transplanted stem cells that differentiate into neurons.

As described herein, ACT comprises two indivisible parts: (1) a specifictraining protocol for each brain (cognitive) function and (2)administration of cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB)pathway-enhancing drugs. This combination can augment cognitive trainingby reducing the number of training sessions required to yield aperformance gain relative to that obtained with cognitive training aloneor by requiring shorter or no rest intervals between training sessionsto yield a performance gain. This combination can also augment cognitivetraining by reducing the duration and/or number of training sessionsrequired for the induction in a specific neuronal circuit(s) of apattern of neuronal activity or by reducing the duration and/or numberof training sessions or underlying pattern of neuronal activity requiredto induce CREB-dependent long-term structural/function (i.e.,long-lasting) change among synaptic connections of the neuronal circuit.In this manner, ACT can improve the efficiency of existing cognitivetraining protocols, thereby yielding significant economic benefit.

For example, cognitive training protocols are employed in treatingpatients with depression (monopolor) and/or phobias to help them unlearnpathological responses associated with the depression and/or phobia(s)and learn appropriate behavior. Administration of a CREBpathway-enhancing drug in conjunction with cognitive training reducesthe time and/or number of training sessions required to yield a gain inperformance in these patients. As such, overall treatment isaccomplished in a shorter period of time.

Similarly, cognitive training protocols are employed in treatingpatients with autism to help them unlearn pathological responses and tolearn appropriate behavior. Administration of a CREB pathway-enhancingdrug in conjunction with cognitive training reduces the time and/ornumber of training sessions required to yield a gain in performance inthese patients.

Cognitive training protocols (e.g., physical therapy, bio-feedbackmethods) are employed in rehabilitating stroke patients (strokerehabilitation), particularly rehabilitating impaired or lostsensory-motor function(s). Administration of a CREB pathway-enhancingdrug in conjunction with cognitive training reduces the time and/ornumber of training sessions required to yield a gain in performance inthese patients. Faster and more efficient recovery of lost cognitivefunction(s) are expected as a result.

Cognitive training protocols (e.g., massed training, spaced training)are employed in learning a new language or in learning to play a newmusical instrument. Administration of a CREB pathway-enhancing drug inconjunction with cognitive training reduces the time and/or number oftraining sessions required to yield a gain in performance. As a result,less practice (training sessions) is required to learn the new languageor to learn to play the new musical instrument.

Cognitive training protocols are employed in improving learning and/orperformance in individuals with learning, language or readingdisabilities. Administration of a CREB pathway-enhancing drug inconjunction with cognitive training reduces the time and/or number oftraining sessions required to yield a gain in performance in theseindividuals.

Cognitive training protocols are employed to exercise neuronal circuitsin individuals to fine-tune synaptic connections of newly acquired,transplanted stem cells that differentiate into neurons. Administrationof a CREB pathway-enhancing drug in conjunction with cognitive trainingreduces the time and/or number of training sessions required for theinduction in (a) specific neuronal circuit(s) of a pattern of neuronalactivity in these individuals.

Cognitive training protocols are employed for repeated stimulation ofneuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity underlying (a)specific neuronal circuit(s) in individuals. Administration of a CREBpathway-enhancing drug in conjunction with cognitive training reducesthe time and/or number of training sessions and/or underlying pattern ofneuronal activity required to induce CREB-dependent long-termstructure/function (i.e., long-lasting) change among synapticconnections of the neuronal circuit.

As a result of the present invention, methods of enhancing a specificaspect of cognitive performance in an animal (particularly a human orother mammal or vertebrate) in need thereof are provided hereincomprising (a) administering to the animal an augmenting agent whichenhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training the animal underconditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance of acognitive task of interest by the animal. “Augmenting agents” are alsoreferred to herein as “CREB pathway-enhancing drugs”.

Methods are provided herein for treating a cognitive deficit associatedwith a central nervous system (CNS) disorder or condition in an animalin need of said treatment comprising (a) administering to the animal anaugmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b) trainingthe animal under conditions sufficient to produce an improvement inperformance of a particular cognitive task by the animal. CNS disordersand conditions include age-associated memory impairment,neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson'sdisease, Huntington's disease (chorea), other senile dementia),psychiatric diseases (e.g., depression, schizophrenia, autism, attentiondeficit disorder), trauma dependent loss of function (e.g.,cerebrovascular diseases (e.g., stroke, ischemia), brain tumor, head orbrain injury), genetic defects (e.g., Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, downsyndrome) and learning disabilities.

Methods are also provided herein for therapy of a cognitive deficitassociated with a CNS disorder or condition in an animal havingundergone neuronal stem cell manipulation comprising (a) administeringto the animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function;and (b) training the animal under conditions sufficient to stimulate orinduce neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity in theanimal. By “neuronal stem cell manipulation” is meant that (1) exogenousneuronal stem cells are transplanted into the brain or spinal chord ofan animal or (2) endogenous neuronal stem cells are stimulated orinduced to proliferate in the animal.

Methods are provided herein for repeated stimulation of neuronalactivity or a pattern of neuronal activity, such as that underlying aspecific neuronal circuit(s), in an animal comprising (a) administeringto the animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function;and (b) training the animal under conditions sufficient to stimulate orinduce neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity in theanimal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The FIGURE is a schematic diagram illustrating a neuronal mechanism ofbrain plasticity, which forms the neurological basis for augmentedcognitive training. Specific cognitive training protocols produce(experience-dependent) changes in neural activity of specific underlyingneuronal circuits. This neural activity activates a biochemical processthat modulates CREB-dependent gene expression. Downstream effectors ofthis transcription factor cascade then yield long-lasting structural andfunctional changes in synaptic connectivity of the circuit (i.e.,long-term memory). This process of experience-dependent synapticmodification is ongoing in normal animals and usually requires multipletraining sessions for most tasks. Augmentation of the CREB pathwayduring training will reduce the number of training sessions (or shortenthe rest interval between them) required to produce theexperience-dependent changes in synaptic structure and/or function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For many tasks in many species, including human, spaced trainingprotocols (multiple training sessions with a rest interval between each)produce stronger, longer-lasting memory than massed training protocols(multiple training sessions with no rest interval in between).Behavior-genetic studies of Pavlovian olfactory learning in Drosophilahave established that massed training produces a long-lasting memorythat nevertheless decays away in at least four days, is not proteinsynthesis-dependent, is not disrupted by overexpression of aCREB-repressor transgene, and is disrupted in radish mutants (Tully, T.et al., Cell, 79(1):35-47 (1994); and Yin, J. C. et al., Cell,79(1):49-58 (1994)). In contrast, spaced training produces along-lasting memory that persists for at least seven days, is proteinsynthesis-dependent, is disrupted by overexpression of a CREB-repressortransgene and is normal in radish mutants (Tully, T. et al., Cell,79(1):35-47 (1994); and Yin, J. C. et al., Cell, 79(1):49-58 (1994)).One day after spaced training, memory retention is composed of both theprotein synthesis- and CREB-independent early memory (ARM) and theprotein synthesis- and CREB-dependent long-term memory (LTM). Additionalmassed training is insufficient to induce LTM (Tully, T. et al., Cell,79(1):35-47 (1994); and Yin, J. C. et al., Cell, 79(1):49-58 (1994)).

A growing body of evidence extends these results from invertebrates tomammals. For example, in Aplysia, molecular manipulations of CREBexpression, similar to those in flies, suppress or enhance (i) LTM of afacilitatory electrophysiological response at a sensorimotor monosynapsein cell culture and (ii) the synaptic connections between sensory andmotor neurons that are normally produced after spaced applications ofthe facilitatory stimulus (Bartsch, D. et al., Cell, 83(6):979-992(1995)). In rats, injections of antisense RNA oligonucleotides intohippocampus or amygdala block LTM formation of two different tasks thatare dependent on activity in these anatomical regions, respectively(Guzowski, J. F. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94(6):2693-2698(1997); and Lamprecht, R. et al., J. Neurosci., 17(21):8443-8450(1997)). In mice, LTM formation for both implicit and explicit tasks isdefective in CREB mutant mice (Bourtchuladze, R. et al., Cell,79(1):59-68 (1994)).

Training of transgenic mice, carrying a CRE-dependent reporter gene(beta-galactosidase), in hippocampal-dependent contextual fearconditioning or passive avoidance tasks induces CRE-dependent reportergene expression in areas CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus. Training ofthese mice in an amygdala-dependent fear conditioning task inducesCRE-dependent reporter gene expression in the amygdala, but not thehippocampus. Thus, training protocols that induce LTM formation alsoinduce CRE-dependent gene transcription in specific anatomical areas ofthe mammalian brain (Impey, S. et al., Nat. Neurosci., 1(7):595-601(1998)).

With these animal models, three salient cases of LTM enhancement havebeen demonstrated. First, overexpression of a CREB-activator transgeneabrogates the requirements for multiple, spaced training sessions and,instead, induces LTM formation after only one training session (whichnormally produces little or no memory retention 24 hours later (Yin, J.C. et al., Cell, 81(1):107-115 (1995)). Second, injection of a virallyexpressed CREB-activator transgene into rat amygdala also is sufficientto enhance memory after massed training for the fear-potentiated startleresponse, which abrogates the requirement for a rest interval in spacedtraining (Josselyn, S. A. et al., Society for Neuroscience, Vol. 24,Abstract 365.10 (1998)). Third, LTM formation in CREB-deficient mice(Bourtchuladze, R. et al., Cell, 79(1):59-68 (1994)) can form normally,if mutant mice are subjected to a different, spaced training protocol(Kogan, J. H. et al., Curr. Biol., 7(1):1-11 (1997)).

CREB also appears involved in various forms of developmental andcellular plasticity in the vertebrate brain. For example, neuronalactivity increases CREB activity in the cortex (Moore, A. N. et al., J.Biol. Chem., 271(24):14214-14220 (1996)). CREB also mediatesdevelopmental plasticity in the hippocampus (Murphy, D. D. et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94(4):1482-1487 (1997)), in the somatosensorycortex (Glazewski, S. et al., Cereb. Cortex, 9(3):249-256 (1999)), inthe striatum (Liu, F. C. et al., Neuron, 17(6):1133-1144 (1996)), and inthe visual cortex (Pham, T. A. et al., Neuron, 22(1):63-72 (1999)).

CREB appears to be affected in human neurodegenerative disease and braininjury. For example, CREB activation and/or expression is disrupted inAlzheimer's disease (Ikezu, T. et al., EMBO J., 15(10):2468-2475 (1996);Sato, N. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 232(3):637-642 (1997);and Yamamoto-Sasaki, M. et al., Brain. Res., 824(2):300-303 (1999). CREBactivation and/or expression is also elevated after seizures or ischemia(Blendy, J. A. et al., Brain Res., 681(1-2):8-14 (1995); and Tanaka, K.et al., Neuroreport, 10(11):2245-2250 (1999)). “Environmentalenrichment” is neuroprotective, preventing cell death by acting throughCREB (Young, D. et al., Nat. Med., 5(4):448-453 (1999)).

CREB functions during drug sensitivity and withdrawal. For example, CREBis affected by ethanol (Pandey, S. C. et al., Alcohol Clin. Exp. Res.,23(9):1425-1434 (1999); Constantinescu, A. et al., J. Biol. Chem.,274(38):26985-26991 (1999); Yang, X. et al., Alcohol Clin. Exp. Res.,22(2):382-390 (1998); Yang, X. et al., J. Neurochem., 70(1):224-232(1998); and Moore, M. S. et al., Cell, 93(6):997-1007 (1998)), bycocaine (Carlezon, W. A., Jr. et al., Science, 282(5397):2272-2275(1998)), by morphine (Widnell, K. L. et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.,276(1):306-315 (1996)), by methamphetamine (Muratake, T. et al., Ann NY. Acad. Sci., 844:21-26 (1998)) and by cannabinoid (Calandra, B. etal., Eur. J. Pharmacol., 374(3):445-455 (1999); and Herring, A. C. etal., Biochem. Pharmacol., 55(7):1013-1023 (1998)).

A signal transduction pathway that can stimulate the CREB/CREtranscriptional pathway is the cAMP regulatory system. Consistent withthis, mice lacking both adenylate cyclase 1 (AC1) and AC8 enzymes failto learn (Wong S. T. et al., Neuron, 23(4):787-798 (1999)). In thesemice, administration of forskolin to area CA1 of the hippocampusrestores learning and memory of hippocampal-dependent tasks.Furthermore, treatment of aged rats with drugs that elevate cAMP levels(such as rolipram and D1 receptor agonists) ameliorates an age-dependentloss of hippocampal-dependent memory and cellular long-term potentiation(Barad, M. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 95(25):15020-15025(1998)). These latter data suggest that a cAMP signaling is defective inlearning-impaired aged rats (Bach, M. E. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA, 96(9):5280-5285 (1999)).

The present invention relates to a novel methodology, also referred toherein as augmented cognitive training (ACT), which can (1) rehabilitatevarious forms of cognitive dysfunction or (2) enhance normal cognitiveperformance. ACT acts via a general molecular mechanism of synapticplasticity, which apparently converts the biochemical effect of a newlyacquired experience into a long-lasting structural change of thesynapse. ACT can be applied for any aspect of brain function that showsa lasting performance gain after cognitive training. Accordingly, ACTcan be used in rehabilitating an animal with any form of cognitivedysfunction or in enhancing or improving any aspect of normal cognitiveperformance in an animal.

A growing body of evidence suggests that neurons continue to proliferatein the adult brain (Arsenijevic, Y. et al., Exp. Neurol., 170: 48-62(2001); Vescovi, A. L. et al., Biomed. Pharmacother., 55:201-205 (2001);Cameron, H. A. and McKay, R. D., J. Comp. Neurol., 435:406-417 (2001);and Geuna, S. et al., Anat. Rec., 265:132-141 (2001)) and that suchproliferation is in response to various experiences (Nilsson, M. et al.,J. Neurobiol., 39:569-578 (1999); Gould, E. et al., Trends Cogn. Sci.,3:186-192 (1999); Fuchs, E. and Gould, E., Eur. J. Neurosci., 12:2211-2214 (2000); Gould, E. et al., Biol. Psychiatry, 48:715-720 (2000);and Gould, E. et al., Nat. Neurosci., 2:260-265 (1999)). Experimentalstrategies now are underway to transplant neuronal stem into adult brainfor various therapeutic indications (Kurimoto, Y. et al., Neurosci.Lett., 306:57-60 (2001); Singh, G., Neuropathology, 21:110-114 (2001);and Cameron, H. A. and McKay, R. D., Nat. Neurosci., 2:894-897 (1999)).Much already is known about neurogenesis in embryonic stages ofdevelopment (Saitoe, M. and Tully, T., “Making connections betweensynaptic and behavioral plasticity in Drosophila”, In Toward a Theory ofNeuroplasticity, J. McEachern and C. Shaw, Eds. (New York: PsychologyPress.), pp. 193-220 (2000)). Neuronal differentiation, neuriteextension and initial synaptic target recognition all appear to occur inan activity-independent fashion. Subsequent synaptogenesis and synapticgrowth, however, then requires ongoing neuronal activity to fine-tunesynaptic connections in a functionally relevant manner. These findingssuggest that functional (final) integration of transplanted neural stemcells require neuronal activity. Thus, ACT can be used to exerciseappropriate neuronal circuits to fine-tune the synaptic connections ofnewly acquired, transplanted stem cells that differentiate into neurons.By “exercise appropriate neuronal circuit(s)” is meant the induction inthe appropriate neuronal circuit(s) of a pattern of neuronal activity,which corresponds to that produced by a particular cognitive trainingprotocol. The cognitive training protocol can be used to induce suchneuronal activity. Alternatively, neuronal activity can be induced bydirect electrical stimulation of the neuronal circuitry. “Neuronalactivity” and “neural activity” are used interchangeably herein.

ACT comprises a specific training protocol for each brain function and ageneral administration of CREB pathway-enhancing drugs. The trainingprotocol (cognitive training) induces neuronal activity in specificbrain regions and produces improved performance of a specific brain(cognitive) function. CREB pathway-enhancing drugs, also referred toherein as augmenting agents, enhance CREB pathway function, which isrequired to consolidate newly acquired information into LTM. By “enhanceCREB pathway function” is meant the ability to enhance or improveCREB-dependent gene expression. CREB-dependent gene expression can beenhanced or improved by increasing endogenous CREB production, forexample by directly or indirectly stimulating the endogenous gene toproduce increased amounts of CREB, or by increasing functional(biologically active) CREB. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,223; U.S.Pat. No. 6,051,559; and International Publication No. WO9611270(published Apr. 18, 1996), which references are incorporated herein intheir entirety by reference. Administration of CREB pathway-enhancingdrugs decreases the training needed to yield a performance gain relativeto that yielded with training alone. In particular, ACT can enhancecognitive training by reducing the number of training sessions requiredto yield a performance gain relative to that yielded with cognitivetraining alone or by requiring shorter or no rest intervals betweentraining sessions to yield a performance gain. In this manner, ACT canimprove the efficiency of cognitive training techniques, therebyyielding significant economic benefit. By “performance gain” is meant animprovement in an aspect of cognitive performance.

The invention provides methods for enhancing a specific aspect ofcognitive performance in an animal (particularly in a human or othermammal or vertebrate) in need thereof comprising (a) administering tothe animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and(b) training the animal under conditions sufficient to produce animprovement in performance of a particular cognitive task by the animal.

Training can comprise one or multiple training sessions and is trainingappropriate to produce an improvement in performance of the cognitivetask of interest. For example, if an improvement in language acquisitionis desired, training would focus on language acquisition. If animprovement in ability to learn to play a musical instrument is desired,training would focus on learning to play the musical instrument. If animprovement in a particular motor skill is desired, training would focuson acquisition of the particular motor skill. The specific cognitivetask of interest is matched with appropriate training.

The invention also provides methods for repeated stimulation of neuronalactivity or a pattern of neuronal activity, such as that underlying aspecific neuronal circuit(s), in an animal comprising (a) administeringto the animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function;and (b) training the animal under conditions sufficient to stimulate orinduce neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity in theanimal. In this case, training is training appropriate to stimulate orinduce neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity in theanimal.

By “multiple training sessions” is meant two or more training sessions.The augmenting agent can be administered before, during or after one ormore of the training sessions. In a particular embodiment, theaugmenting agent is administered before and during each trainingsession. Treatment with augmenting agent in connection with eachtraining session is also referred to as the “augmenting treatment”. By“training” is meant cognitive training.

Cognitive training protocols are known and readily available in the art.See for example, Karni, A. and Sagi, D., “Where practice makes perfectin text discrimination: evidence for primary visual cortex plasticity”,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 88:4966-4970 (1991); Karni, A. and Sagi, D.,“The time course of learning a visual skill”, Nature, 365:250-252(1993); Kramer, A. F. et al., “Task coordination and aging: explorationsof executive control processes in the task switching paradigm”, ActaPsychol. (Amst.), 101:339-378 (1999); Kramer, A. F. et al., “Trainingfor executive control: Task coordination strategies and aging”, In Agingand Skilled Performance: Advances In Theory and Applications, W. Rogerset al., eds. (Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum) (1999); Rider, R. A. andAbdulahad, D. T., “Effects of massed versus distributed practice ongross and fine motor proficiency of educable mentally handicappedadolescents”, Percept. Mot. Skills, 73:219-224 (1991); Willis, S. L. andSchaie, K. W., “Training the elderly on the ability factors of spatialorientation and inductive reasoning”, Psychol. Aging, 1:239-247 (1986);Willis, S. L. and Nesselroade, C. S., “Long-term effects of fluidability training in old-old age”, Develop. Psychol., 26:905-910 (1990);Wek, S. R. and Husak, W. S., “Distributed and massed practice effects onmotor performance and learning of autistic children”, Percept. Mot.Skills, 68:107-113 (1989); Verhaehen, P. et al., “Improving memoryperformance in the aged through mnemonic training: a meta-analyticstudy”, Psychol. Aging, 7:242-251 (1992); Verhaeghen, P. and Salthouse,T. A., “Meta-analyses of age-cognition relations in adulthood: estimatesof linear and nonlinear age effects and structural models”, Psychol.Bull., 122:231-249 (1997); Dean, C. M. et al., “Task-related circuittraining improves performance of locomotor tasks in chronic stroke: arandomized, controlled pilot trial”, Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil.,81:409-417 (2000); Greener, J. et al., “Speech and language therapy foraphasia following stroke”, Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., CD000425(2000); Hummelsheim, H. and Eickhof, C., “Repetitive sensorimotortraining for arm and hand in a patient with locked-in syndrome”, Scand.J. Rehabil. Med., 31:250-256 (1999); Johansson, B. B., “Brain plasticityand stroke rehabilitation. The Willis lecture”, Stroke, 31:223-230(2000); Ko Ko, C., “Effectiveness of rehabilitation for multiplesclerosis”, Clin. Rehabil., 13 (Suppl. 1):33-41 (1999); Lange, G. etal., “Organizational strategy influence on visual memory performanceafter stroke: cortical/subcortical and left/right hemisphere contrasts”,Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil., 81:89-94 (2000); Liepert, J. et al.,“Treatment-induced cortical reorganization after stroke in humans”,Stroke, 31:1210-1216 (2000); Lotery, A. J. et al., “Correctable visualimpairment in stroke rehabilitation patients”, Age Ageing, 29:221-222(2000); Majid, M. J. et al., “Cognitive rehabilitation for memorydeficits following stroke” (Cochrane review), Cochrane Database Syst.Rev., CD002293 (2000); Merzenich, M. et al., “Cortical plasticityunderlying perceptual, motor, and cognitive skill development:implications for neurorehabilitation”, Cold Spring Harb. Symp. Quant.Biol., 61:1-8 (1996); Merzenich, M. M. et al., “Temporal processingdeficits of language-learning impaired children ameliorated bytraining”, Science, 271:77-81 (1996); Murphy, E., “Strokerehabilitation”, J. R. Coll. Physicians Lond., 33:466-468 (1999);Nagarajan, S. S. et al., “Speech modifications algorithms used fortraining language learning-impaired children”, IEEE Trans. Rehabil.Eng., 6:257-268. (1998); Oddone, E. et al., “Quality EnhancementResearch Initiative in stroke: prevention, treatment, andrehabilitation”, Med. Care 38:192-1104 (2000); Rice-Oxley, M. andTurner-Stokes, L., “Effectiveness of brain injury rehabilitation”, Clin.Rehabil., 13(Suppl 1):7-24 (1999); Tallal, P. et al., “Language learningimpairments: integrating basic science, technology, and remediation”,Exp. Brain Res., 123:210-219 (1998); Tallal, P. et al., “Languagecomprehension in language-learning impaired children improved withacoustically modified speech”, Science, 271:81-84 (1996), whichreferences are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

As used herein, the term “animal” includes mammals, as well as otheranimals, vertebrate and invertebrate (e.g., birds, fish, reptiles,insects (e.g., Drosophila species), mollusks (e.g., Aplysia). The terms“mammal” and “mammalian”, as used herein, refer to any vertebrateanimal, including monotremes, marsupials and placental, that suckletheir young and either give birth to living young (eutharian orplacental mammals) or are egg-laying (metatharian or nonplacentalmammals). Examples of mammalian species include humans and primates(e.g., monkeys, chimpanzees), rodents (e.g., rats, mice, guinea pigs)and ruminents (e.g., cows, pigs, horses).

The animal can be an animal with some form and degree of cognitivedysfunction or an animal with normal cognitive performance (i.e., ananimal without any form of cognitive failure (dysfunction or loss of anycognitive function)).

Cognitive dysfunction, commonly associated with brain dysfunction andcentral nervous system (CNS) disorders or conditions, arises due toheredity, disease, injury and/or age. CNS disorders and conditionsassociated with some form and degree of cognitive failure (dysfunction)include, but are not limited to the following:

1) age-associated memory impairment;

2) neurodegenerative disorders, such as delirium (acute confusionalstate); dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and non-Alzheimer's typedementias, such as, but not limited to, Lewy body dementia, vasculardementia, Binswanger's dementia (subcortical arterioscleroticencephalopathy), dementias associated with Parkinson's disease,progressive supranuclear palsy, Huntington's disease (chorea), Pick'sdisease, normal-pressure hydrocephalus, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease,Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease, neurosyphilis (general paresis)or HIV infection, frontal lobe dementia syndromes, dementias associatedwith head trauma, including dementia pugilistica, brain trauma, subduralhematoma, brain tumor, hypothyroidism, vitamin B₁₂ deficiency,intracranial radiation; other neurodegenerative disorders;

3) psychiatric disorders, including affective disorders (mooddisorders), such as, but not limited to, depression, includingdepressive pseudodementia; psychotic disorders, such as, but not limitedto, schizophrenia and autism (Kanner's Syndrome); neurotic disorders,such as, but not limited to, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder;attention deficit disorder;

4) trauma-dependent loss of cognitive function, such as, but not limitedto that associated with (due to), cerebrovascular diseases, includingstroke and ischemia, including ischemic stroke; brain trauma, includingsubdural hematoma and brain tumor; head injury;

5) disorders associated with some form and degree of cognitivedysfunction arising due to a genetic defect, such as, but not limitedto, Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome and down syndrome;

6) learning, language or reading disabilities, particularly in children.By “learning disabilities” is meant disorders of the basic psychologicalprocesses that affect the way an individual learns. Learningdisabilities can cause difficulties in listening, thinking, talking,reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic or combinations of any of theforegoing. Learning disabilities include perceptual handicaps, dyslexiaand developmental aphasia.

The terms “cognitive performance” and “cognitive function” areart-recognized terms and are used herein in accordance with theirart-accepted meanings. By “cognitive task” is meant a cognitivefunction. Cognitive functions include memory acquisition, visualdiscrimination, auditory discrimination, executive functioning, motorskill learning, abstract reasoning, spatial ability, speech and languageskills and language acquisition. By “enhance a specific aspect ofcognitive performance” is meant the ability to enhance or improve aspecific cognitive or brain function, such as, for example, theacquisition of memory or the performance of a learned task. By“improvement in performance of a particular cognitive task” is meant animprovement in performance of a specific cognitive task or aspect ofbrain function relative to performance prior to training. For example,if after a stroke, a patient can only wiggle his or her toe, animprovement in performance (performance gain) in the patient would bethe ability to walk, for example.

Accordingly, the invention also relates to methods of treating acognitive deficit associated with a CNS disorder or condition in ananimal (particularly in a human or other mammal or vertebrate) in needof said treatment comprising (a) administering to the animal anaugmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b) trainingthe animal under conditions sufficient to produce an improvement inperformance of a particular cognitive task by the animal.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of treating acognitive deficit associated with age-associated memory impairment in ananimal in need of said treatment comprising (a) administering to theanimal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b)training the animal under conditions sufficient to produce animprovement in performance by the animal of a cognitive task whose lossis associated with age-associated memory impairment.

In a second embodiment, the invention relates to a method of treating acognitive deficit associated with a neurodegenerative disease (e.g.,Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, othersenile dementia) in an animal in need of said treatment comprising (a)administering to the animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREBpathway function; and (b) training the animal under conditionssufficient to produce an improvement in performance by the animal of acognitive task whose deficit is associated with the neurodegenerativedisease.

In a third embodiment, the invention relates to a method of treating acognitive deficit associated with a psychiatric disease (e.g.,depression, schizophrenia, autism, attention deficit disorder) in ananimal in need of said treatment comprising (a) administering to theanimal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b)training the animal under conditions sufficient to produce animprovement in performance by the animal of a cognitive task whosedeficit is associated with the psychiatric disease.

In a fourth embodiment, the invention relates to a method of treating acognitive deficit associated with trauma dependent loss of cognitivefunction (e.g., cerebrovascular diseases (e.g., stroke, ischemia), braintumor, head or brain injury) in an animal in need of said treatmentcomprising (a) administering to the animal an augmenting agent whichenhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training the animal underconditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance by theanimal of a cognitive task whose deficit is associated with traumadependent loss of cognitive function.

In a fifth embodiment, the invention relates to a method of treating acognitive deficit associated with a genetic defect (e.g.,Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, down syndrome) in an animal in need of saidtreatment comprising (a) administering to the animal an augmenting agentwhich enhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training the animal underconditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance by theanimal of a cognitive task whose deficit is associated with a geneticdefect.

The invention also relates to methods of therapy of a cognitive deficitassociated with a CNS disorder or condition in an animal havingundergone neuronal stem cell manipulation comprising (a) administeringto the animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function;and (b) training the animal under conditions sufficient to stimulate orinduce neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity in theanimal. By “neuronal stem cell manipulation” is meant that (1) exogenousneuronal stem cells are transplanted into the brain or spinal chord ofan animal or (2) endogenous neuronal stem cells are stimulated orinduced to proliferate in the animal. Methods of transplanting neuronalstem cells into the brain or spinal chord of an animal are known andreadily available in the art (see, e.g., Cameron, H. A. and McKay, R.D., Nat. Neurosci., 2:894-897 (1999); Kurimoto, Y. et al., Neurosci.Lett., 306:57-60 (2001); and Singh, G., Neuropathology, 21:110-114(2001)). Methods of stimulating or inducing proliferation of endogenousneuronal stem cells in an animal are known and readily available in theart (see, e.g., Gould, E. et al., Trends Cogn. Sci., 3:186-192 (1999);Gould, E. et al., Biol. Psychiatry, 48:715-20 (2000); Nilsson, M. et al,J. Neurobiol., 39:569-578 (1999); Fuchs, E. and Gould, E., Eur. J.Neurosci., 12:2211-2214 (2000); and Gould, E. et al., Nat. Neurosci.,2:260-265 (1999)). The particular methods of transplanting neuronal stemcells into the brain or spinal chord of an animal and the particularmethods of stimulating or inducing proliferation of endogenous neuronalstem cells in an animal are not critical to the practice of theinvention.

The invention further relates to methods of improving or enhancinglearning and/or performance in an animal with a learning, language orreading disability, or combinations of any of the foregoing, comprising(a) administering to the animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREBpathway function; and (b) training the animal under conditionssufficient to produce an improvement in performance by the animal of acognitive task associated with the disability in learning, language orreading performance.

Augmenting agents, as used herein, are compounds with pharmacologicalactivity and include drugs, chemical compounds, ionic compounds, organiccompounds, organic ligands, including cofactors, saccharides,recombinant and synthetic peptides, proteins, peptoids, nucleic acidsequences, including genes, nucleic acid products, and other moleculesand compositions.

For example, augmenting agents can be cell permeant cAMP analogs (e.g,8-bromo cAMP); activators of adenylate cyclase 1 (AC1) (e.g.,forskolin); agents affecting G-protein linked receptor, such as, but notlimited to adrenergic receptors and opioid receptors and their ligands(e.g., phenethylamines); modulators of intracellular calciumconcentration (e.g., thapsigargin, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptoragonists); inhibitors of the phosphodiesterases responsible for cAMPbreakdown (e.g., rolipram (which inhibits phosphodiesterase 4),iso-buto-metho-xanthine (IBMX) (which inhibits phosphodiesterases 1 and2)); modulators of protein kinases and protein phosphatases, whichmediate CREB protein activation and CREB-dependent gene expression.Augmenting agents can be exogenous CREB, CREB analogs, CREB-likemolecules, biologically active CREB fragments, CREB fusion proteins,nucleic acid sequences encoding exogenous CREB, CREB analogs, CREB-likemolecules, biologically active CREB fragments or CREB fusion proteins.

Augmenting agents can also be CREB function modulators, or nucleic acidsequences encoding CREB function modulators. CREB function modulators,as used herein, have the ability to modulate CREB pathway function. By“modulate” is meant the ability to change (increase or decrease) oralter CREB pathway function.

Augmenting agents can be compounds which are capable of enhancing CREBfunction in the CNS. Such compounds include, but are not limited to,compounds which affect membrane stability and fluidity and specificimmunostimulation. In a particular embodiment, the augmenting agent iscapable of transiently enhancing CREB pathway function in the CNS.

CREB analogs, or derivatives, are defined herein as proteins havingamino acid sequences analogous to endogenous CREB. Analogous amino acidsequences are defined herein to mean amino acid sequences withsufficient identity of amino acid sequence of endogenous CREB to possessthe biological activity of endogenous CREB, but with one or more“silent” changes in the amino acid sequence. CREB analogs includemammalian CREM, mammalian ATF-1 and other CREB/CREM/ATF-1 subfamilymembers.

CREB-like molecule, as the term is used herein, refers to a proteinwhich functionally resembles (mimics) CREB. CREB-like molecules need nothave amino acid sequences analogous to endogenous CREB.

Biologically active polypeptide fragments of CREB can include only apart of the full-length amino acid sequence of CREB, yet possessbiological activity. Such fragments can be produced by carboxyl or aminoterminal deletions, as well as internal deletions.

Fusion proteins comprise a CREB protein as described herein, referred toas a first moiety, linked to a second moiety not occurring in the CREBprotein. The second moiety can be a single amino acid, peptide orpolypeptide or other organic moiety, such as a carbohydrate, a lipid oran inorganic molecule.

Nucleic acid sequences are defined herein as heteropolymers of nucleicacid molecules. The nucleic acid molecules can be double stranded orsingle stranded and can be a deoxyribonucleotide (DNA) molecule, such ascDNA or genomic DNA, or a ribonucleotide (RNA) molecule. As such, thenucleic acid sequence can, for example, include one or more exons, withor without, as appropriate, introns, as well as one or more suitablecontrol sequences. In one example, the nucleic acid molecule contains asingle open reading frame which encodes a desired nucleic acid product.The nucleic acid sequence is “operably linked” to a suitable promoter.

A nucleic acid sequence encoding a desired CREB protein, CREB analog(including CREM, ATF-1), CREB-like molecule, biologically active CREBfragment, CREB fusion protein or CREB function modulator can be isolatedfrom nature, modified from native sequences or manufactured de novo, asdescribed in, for example, Ausubel et al., Current Protocols inMolecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1998); and Sambrook etal., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd edition, Cold SpringHarbor University Press, New York. (1989). Nucleic acids can be isolatedand fused together by methods known in the art, such as exploiting andmanufacturing compatible cloning or restriction sites.

Typically, the nucleic acid sequence will be a gene which encodes thedesired CREB protein, CREB analog, CREB-like molecule, CREB fusionprotein or CREB function modulator. Such a gene is typically operablylinked to suitable control sequences capable of effecting the expressionof the CREB protein or CREB function modulator, preferably in the CNS.The term “operably linked”, as used herein, is defined to mean that thegene (or the nucleic acid sequence) is linked to control sequences in amanner which allows expression of the gene (or the nucleic acidsequence). Generally, operably linked means contiguous.

Control sequences include a transcriptional promoter, an optionaloperator sequence to control transcription, a sequence encoding suitablemessenger RNA (mRNA) ribosomal binding sites and sequences which controltermination of transcription and translation. In a particularembodiment, a recombinant gene (or a nucleic acid sequence) encoding aCREB protein, CREB analog, CREB-like molecule, biologically active CREBfragment, CREB fusion protein or CREB function modulator can be placedunder the regulatory control of a promoter which can be induced orrepressed, thereby offering a greater degree of control with respect tothe level of the product.

As used herein, the term “promoter” refers to a sequence of DNA, usuallyupstream (5′) of the coding region of a structural gene, which controlsthe expression of the coding region by providing recognition and bindingsites for RNA polymerase and other factors which may be required forinitiation of transcription. Suitable promoters are well known in theart. Exemplary promoters include the SV40 and human elongation factor(EFI). Other suitable promoters are readily available in the art (see,e.g., Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley& Sons, Inc., New York (1998); Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: ALaboratory Manual, 2nd edition, Cold Spring Harbor University Press, NewYork (1989); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,735).

Augmenting agents can enhance CREB pathway function by a variety ofmechanisms. For example, an augmenting agent can affect a signaltransduction pathway which leads to induction of CREB-dependent geneexpression. Induction of CREB-dependent gene expression can be achieved,for example, via up-regulation of positive effectors of CREB functionand/or down-regulation of negative effectors of CREB function. Positiveeffectors of CREB function include adenylate cyclases and CREBactivators. Negative effectors of CREB function include cAMPphosphodiesterase (cAMP PDE) and CREB repressors.

An augmenting agent can enhance CREB pathway function by actingbiochemically upstream of or directly acting on an activator orrepressor form of a CREB protein and/or on a CREB protein containingtranscription complex. For example, CREB pathway function can beaffected by increasing CREB protein levels transcriptionally,post-transcriptionally, or both transcriptionally andpost-transcriptionally; by altering the affinity of CREB protein toother necessary components of the of the transcription complex, such as,for example, to CREB-binding protein (CBP protein); by altering theaffinity of a CREB protein containing transcription complex for DNA CREBresponsive elements in the promoter region; or by inducing eitherpassive or active immunity to CREB protein isoforms. The particularmechanism by which an augmenting agent enhances CREB pathway function isnot critical to the practice of the invention.

Augmenting agents can be administered directly to an animal in a varietyof ways. In a preferred embodiment, augmenting agents are administeredsystemically. Other routes of administration are generally known in theart and include intravenous including infusion and/or bolus injection,intracerebroventricularly, intrathecal, parenteral, mucosal, implant,intraperitoneal, oral, intradermal, transdermal (e.g., in slow releasepolymers), intramuscular, subcutaneous, topical, epidural, etc. routes.Other suitable routes of administration can also be used, for example,to achieve absorption through epithelial or mucocutaneous linings.Particular augmenting agents can also be administered by gene therapy,wherein a DNA molecule encoding a particular therapeutic protein orpeptide is administered to the animal, e.g., via a vector, which causesthe particular protein or peptide to be expressed and secreted attherapeutic levels in vivo.

A vector, as the term is used herein, refers to a nucleic acid vector,e.g., a DNA plasmid, virus or other suitable replicon (e.g., viralvector). Viral vectors include retrovirus, adenovirus, parvovirus (e.g.,adeno-associated viruses), coronavirus, negative strand RNA viruses suchas orthomyxovirus (e.g., influenza virus), rhabdovirus (e.g., rabies andvesicular stomatitis virus), paramyxovirus (e.g. measles and Sendai),positive strand RNA viruses such as picornavirus and alphavirus, anddouble stranded DNA viruses including adenovirus, herpesvirus (e.g.,Herpes Simplex virus types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr virus,cytomegalovirus), and poxvirus (e.g., vaccinia, fowlpox and canarypox).Other viruses include Norwalk virus, togavirus, flavivirus, reoviruses,papovavirus, hepadnavirus, and hepatitis virus, for example. Examples ofretroviruses include: avian leukosis-sarcoma, mammalian C-type, B-typeviruses, D-type viruses, HTLV-BLV group, lentivirus, spumavirus (Coffin,J. M., Retroviridae: The viruses and their replication, In FundamentalVirology, Third Edition, B. N. Fields, et al., Eds., Lippincott-RavenPublishers, Philadelphia, 1996). Other examples include murine leukemiaviruses, murine sarcoma viruses, mouse mammary tumor virus, bovineleukemia virus, feline leukemia virus, feline sarcoma virus, avianleukemia virus, human T-cell leukemia virus, baboon endogenous virus,Gibbon ape leukemia virus, Mason Pfizer monkey virus, simianimmunodeficiency virus, simian sarcoma virus, Rous sarcoma virus andlentiviruses. Other examples of vectors are described, for example, inMcVey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,030, the teachings of which areincorporated herein by reference.

A nucleic acid sequence encoding a protein or peptide (e.g., CREBprotein, CREB analog (including CREM, ATF-1), CREB-like molecule,biologically active CREB fragment, CREB fusion protein, CREB functionmodulator) can be inserted into a nucleic acid vector according tomethods generally known in the art (see, e.g., Ausubel et al., Eds.,Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., NewYork (1998); Sambrook et al., Eds., Molecular Cloning: A LaboratoryManual, 2nd edition, Cold Spring Harbor University Press, New York(1989)).

The mode of administration is preferably at the location of the targetcells. In a particular embodiment, the mode of administration is toneurons.

Augmenting agents can be administered together with other components ofbiologically active agents, such as pharmaceutically acceptablesurfactants (e.g., glycerides), excipients (e.g., lactose), stabilizers,preservatives, humectants, emollients, antioxidants, carriers, diluentsand vehicles. If desired, certain sweetening, flavoring and/or coloringagents can also be added.

Augmenting agents can be formulated as a solution, suspension, emulsionor lyophilized powder in association with a pharmaceutically acceptableparenteral vehicle. Examples of such vehicles are water, saline,Ringer's solution, isotonic sodium chloride solution, dextrose solution,and 5% human serum albumin. Liposomes and nonaqueous vehicles such asfixed oils can also be used. The vehicle or lyophilized powder cancontain additives that maintain isotonicity (e.g., sodium chloride,mannitol) and chemical stability (e.g., buffers and preservatives). Theformulation can be sterilized by commonly used techniques. Suitablepharmaceutical carriers are described in Remington's PharmaceuticalSciences.

The dosage of augmenting agent administered to an animal is that amountrequired to effect a change in CREB-dependent gene expression,particularly in neurons. The dosage administered to an animal, includingfrequency of administration, will vary depending upon a variety offactors, including pharmacodynamic characteristics of the particularaugmenting agent, mode and route of administration; size, age, sex,health, body weight and diet of the recipient; nature and extent ofsymptoms being treated or nature and extent of the cognitive function(s)being enhanced or modulated, kind of concurrent treatment, frequency oftreatment, and the effect desired.

Augmenting agents can be administered in single or divided doses (e.g.,a series of doses separated by intervals of days, weeks or months), orin a sustained release form, depending upon factors such as nature andextent of symptoms, kind of concurrent treatment and the effect desired.Other therapeutic regimens or agents can be used in conjunction with thepresent invention.

The teachings of all the articles, patents and patent applications citedherein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described withreferences to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may bemade therein without departing from the scope of the inventionencompassed by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of treating a cognitive deficitassociated with a central nervous system disorder or condition in ananimal in need of said treatment comprising the steps of: (a)administering to said animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREBpathway function; and (b) training said animal under conditionssufficient to produce an improvement in performance by said animal of acognitive task whose deficit is associated with said central nervoussystem disorder or condition, whereby said cognitive deficit is treated.2. The method of claim 1 wherein said animal has undergone neuronal stemcell manipulation.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein a performance gainis achieved relative to the performance of said cognitive task achievedby training alone.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein in step b), trainingcomprises multiple training sessions.
 5. The method of claim 4 whereinsaid augmenting agent is administered before and during each trainingsession.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said animal is a mammal. 7.The method of claim 6 wherein said mammal is a human.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said augmenting agent induces CREB-dependent geneexpression.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said augmenting agentup-regulates a positive effector of CREB pathway function.
 10. Themethod of claim 9 wherein said positive effector of CREB pathwayfunction is a CREB activator.
 11. The method of claim 8 wherein saidaugmenting agent down-regulates a negative effector of CREB pathwayfunction.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said negative effector ofCREB pathway function is a CREB repressor.
 13. The method of claim 1wherein said augmenting agent is a CREB functional modulator.
 14. Amethod of enhancing a specific aspect of cognitive performance in ananimal in need thereof comprising the steps of: (a) administering tosaid animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function;and (b) training said animal under conditions sufficient to produce animprovement in performance of a specified cognitive task by said animal,whereby said specific aspect of cognitive performance is enhanced. 15.The method of claim 14 wherein a performance gain is achieved relativeto the performance of said specified cognitive task achieved by trainingalone.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein in step b), training comprisesmultiple training sessions.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein saidaugmenting agent is administered before and during each trainingsession.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said animal is a mammal. 19.The method of claim 18 wherein said mammal is a human.
 20. The method ofclaim 14 wherein said augmenting agent induces CREB-dependent geneexpression.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said augmenting agentup-regulates a positive effector of CREB pathway function.
 22. Themethod of claim 21 wherein said positive effector of CREB pathwayfunction is a CREB activator.
 23. The method of claim 20 wherein saidaugmenting agent down-regulates a negative effector of CREB pathwayfunction.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein said negative effector ofCREB pathway function is a CREB repressor.
 25. The method of claim 14wherein said augmenting agent is a CREB functional modulator.
 26. Amethod of treating a cognitive deficit associated with age-associatedmemory impairment in an animal in need of said treatment comprising thesteps of: (a) administering to said animal an augmenting agent whichenhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training said animal underconditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance by saidanimal of a cognitive task whose deficit is associated withage-associated memory impairment, whereby said cognitive deficit istreated.
 27. The method of claim 26 wherein a performance gain isachieved relative to the performance of said cognitive task achieved bytraining alone.
 28. The method of claim 26 wherein in step b), trainingcomprises multiple training sessions.
 29. The method of claim 28 whereinsaid augmenting agent is administered before and during each trainingsession.
 30. The method of claim 26 wherein said animal is a mammal. 31.The method of claim 30 wherein said mammal is a human.
 32. The method ofclaim 26 wherein said augmenting agent induces CREB-dependent geneexpression.
 33. A method of treating a cognitive deficit associated witha neurodegenerative disease in an animal in need of said treatmentcomprising the steps of: (a) administering to said animal an augmentingagent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training said animalunder conditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance bysaid animal of a cognitive task whose deficit is associated with saidneurodegenerative disease, whereby said cognitive deficit is treated.34. The method of claim 33 wherein a performance gain is achievedrelative to the performance of said cognitive task achieved by trainingalone.
 35. The method of claim 33 wherein said neurodegenerative diseaseis selected from the group consisting of: delirium, dementia,Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. 36.The method of claim 33 wherein in step b), training comprises multipletraining sessions.
 37. The method of claim 36 wherein said augmentingagent is administered before and during each training session.
 38. Themethod of claim 33 wherein said animal is a mammal.
 39. The method ofclaim 38 wherein said mammal is a human.
 40. The method of claim 33wherein said augmenting agent induces CREB-dependent gene expression.41. A method of treating a cognitive deficit associated with apsychiatric disease in an animal in need of said treatment comprisingthe steps of: (a) administering to said animal an augmenting agent whichenhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training said animal underconditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance by saidanimal of a cognitive task whose deficit is associated with saidpsychiatric disease, whereby said cognitive deficit is treated.
 42. Themethod of claim 41 wherein a performance gain is achieved relative tothe performance of said cognitive task achieved by training alone. 43.The method of claim 41 wherein said psychiatric disease is selected fromthe group consisting of: depression, schizophrenia, autism and attentiondeficit disorder.
 44. The method of claim 41 wherein in step b),training comprises multiple training sessions.
 45. The method of claim44 wherein said augmenting agent is administered before and during eachtraining session.
 46. The method of claim 41 wherein said animal is amammal.
 47. The method of claim 46 wherein said mammal is a human. 48.The method of claim 41 wherein said augmenting agent inducesCREB-dependent gene expression.
 49. A method of treating a cognitivedeficit associated with cerebrovascular disease in an animal in need ofsaid treatment comprising the steps of: (a) administering to said animalan augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b)training said animal under conditions sufficient to produce animprovement in performance by said animal of a cognitive task whosedeficit is associated with said cerebrovascular disease, whereby saidcognitive deficit is treated.
 50. The method of claim 49 wherein aperformance gain is achieved relative to the performance of saidcognitive task achieved by training alone.
 51. The method of claim 49wherein said cerebrovascular disease is selected from the groupconsisting of stroke and ischemia.
 52. The method of claim 49 wherein instep b), training comprises multiple training sessions.
 53. The methodof claim 49 wherein said augmenting agent is administered before andduring each training session.
 54. The method of claim 49 wherein saidanimal is a mammal.
 55. The method of claim 54 wherein said mammal is ahuman.
 56. The method of claim 49 wherein said augmenting agent inducesCREB-dependent gene expression.
 57. A method of treating a cognitivedeficit associated with a trauma dependent loss of cognitive function inan animal in need of said treatment comprising the steps of: (a)administering to said animal an augmenting agent which enhances CREBpathway function; and (b) training said animal under conditionssufficient to produce an improvement in performance by said animal of acognitive task whose deficit is associated with said trauma dependentloss of cognitive function, whereby said cognitive deficit is treated.58. The method of claim 57 wherein a performance gain is achievedrelative to the performance of said cognitive task achieved by trainingalone.
 59. The method of claim 57 wherein said trauma dependent loss offunction is selected from the group consisting of: head trauma and braintrauma.
 60. The method of claim 57 wherein in step b), trainingcomprises multiple training sessions.
 61. The method of claim 60 whereinsaid augmenting agent is administered before and during each trainingsession.
 62. The method of claim 57 wherein said animal is a mammal. 63.The method of claim 62 wherein said mammal is a human.
 64. The method ofclaim 57 wherein said augmenting agent induces CREB-dependent geneexpression.
 65. A method of treating a cognitive deficit associated witha genetic defect in an animal in need of said treatment comprising thesteps of: (a) administering to said animal an augmenting agent whichenhances CREB pathway function; and (b) training said animal underconditions sufficient to produce an improvement in performance by saidanimal of a cognitive task associated with said genetic defect, wherebysaid cognitive deficit is treated.
 66. The method of claim 65 wherein aperformance gain is achieved relative to the performance of saidcognitive task achieved by training alone.
 67. The method of claim 65wherein said genetic defect is selected from the group consisting of:Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome and down syndrome.
 68. The method of claim 65wherein in step b), training comprises multiple training sessions. 69.The method of claim 68 wherein said augmenting agent is administeredbefore and during each training session.
 70. The method of claim 65wherein said animal is a mammal.
 71. The method of claim 70 wherein saidmammal is a human.
 72. The method of claim 65 wherein said augmentingagent induces CREB-dependent gene expression.
 73. A method of improvinglearning in an animal with a learning disability comprising the stepsof: (a) administering to said animal an augmenting agent which enhancesCREB pathway function; and (b) training said animal under conditionssufficient to produce an improvement in performance by said animal of acognitive task whose deficit is associated with said learningdisability, whereby learning is improved.
 74. The method of claim 73wherein a performance gain is achieved relative to the performance ofsaid cognitive task achieved by training alone.
 75. The method of claim73 wherein in step b), training comprises multiple training sessions.76. The method of claim 75 wherein said augmenting agent is administeredbefore and during each training session.
 77. The method of claim 73wherein said animal is a mammal.
 78. The method of claim 77 wherein saidmammal is a human.
 79. The method of claim 73 wherein said augmentingagent induces CREB-dependent gene expression.
 80. A method for repeatedstimulation of neuronal activity or a pattern of neuronal activity in ananimal comprising the steps of: (a) administering to said animal anaugmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b) trainingsaid animal under conditions sufficient to stimulate neuronal activityor a pattern of neuronal activity in said animal.
 81. The method ofclaim 80 wherein in step b), training comprises multiple trainingsessions.
 82. The method of claim 81 wherein said augmenting agent isadministered before and during each training session.
 83. The method ofclaim 80 wherein said animal is a mammal.
 84. The method of claim 83wherein said mammal is a human.
 85. The method of claim 80 wherein saidaugmenting agent induces CREB-dependent gene expression.
 86. A method oftherapy of a cognitive deficit associated with a central nervous systemdisorder or condition in an animal having undergone neuronal stem cellmanipulation comprising the steps of: (a) administering to said animalan augmenting agent which enhances CREB pathway function; and (b)training said animal under conditions sufficient to stimulate neuronalactivity or a pattern of neuronal activity in said animal.
 87. Themethod of claim 86 wherein training in step b) further produces animprovement in performance by said animal of a cognitive task whosedeficit is associated with said central nervous system disorder orcondition.
 88. The method of claim 87 wherein a performance gain isachieved relative to the performance of said cognitive task achieved bytraining alone.
 89. The method of claim 86 wherein in step b), trainingcomprises multiple training sessions.
 90. The method of claim 89 whereinsaid augmenting agent is administered before and during each trainingsession.
 91. The method of claim 86 wherein said animal is a mammal. 92.The method of claim 91 wherein said animal is a human.
 93. The method ofclaim 86 wherein said augmenting agent induces CREB-dependent geneexpression.